Career Breaks for Professional, Management & Support Staff

Transcription

1 Career Breaks for Professional, Management & Support Staff HR Policy Document Record Reference Number Policy Owner Approval Body Creation Date Revision Date(s) Notes HRP103 Human Resources HRC June 2015 August 2017, April 2018 No content change Page 1 of 5

2 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This policy outlines the Policy and Procedures for eligible staff who wish to apply for a career break from their post. 2. PURPOSE OF CAREER BREAK 2.1 A career break may be allowed for most purposes including further education, domestic responsibilities, starting a business or a stay abroad. A career break cannot be granted for the purpose of taking up a job in the public sector; or in an organisation where the pensions transfer network applies; or where a state superannuation scheme is in operation. 3. ELIGIBILITY 3.1 All permanent/cid DIT professional, management & support staff who have completed twelve months service in their existing (or a previous) grade, who have not reached minimum retiring age, may apply for special leave without pay for a career break. 3.2 All Specified Purpose/ Fixed-term DIT professional, management & support staff staff who have completed twelve months service in their existing (or a previous) grade, who have not reached minimum retiring age and who have contracts that will run for at least twelve months from the termination of the approved period of the career break, may apply for a career break. 3.3 Career breaks will be granted having regard to the operational needs of the Institute. The duration of the career break may not extend beyond the minimum retiring age. 3.4 Research staff are not comprehended by this policy as the nature of the work is determined by project funding and research requirements. Requests from research staff to avail of career breaks should be addressed by the appropriate line manager, and if approved, the principles of this policy may apply. 4. CAREER BREAK DURATION 4.1 A career break shall consist of special leave without pay for a period of not less than one year and not more than five years. A staff member may apply to have a career break extended, provided the period of special leave without pay does not exceed five years in all. 4.2 If a Specified Purpose staff member is granted a career break and their contract expires during this period, then both contract and career break expire together. 5. APPLICATION PROCESS 5.1 Staff members seeking career breaks must complete the Career Break Application Form which can be found at the end of this policy. 5.2 An application should be made three months in advance of the commencement of the career break. 5.3 An application for a career break should state the specific purpose for which the career break is being sought. 5.4 The Line Manager/Director will consider an application having regard to operational requirements. 5.5 The completed application must be signed by the applicant and the relevant Line Manager/Director and forwarded to Resourcing & Benefits, Human Resources, Dublin Institute of Technology, 5 th Floor, Park House Grangegorman, 191 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, D07 EWV4 for processing. 5.6 On receipt of a complete application HR will confirm in writing to the staff member and relevant Line Manager/Director the precise conditions of the career break and notify payroll to cease pay for the period of the career break. Page 2 of 5

3 6. BACKFILL ARRANGEMENTS 6.1 Backfills for vacancies arising as a result of the approval of a career break application are approved in principle for filling on a specified purpose basis. (HRC March, April 2011). 6.2 The line manager of the area in which the staff member was employed should complete the online Staff Requisition Form via Core Portal to facilitate the filling of the backfill post. 7. APPLYING TO EXTEND A CAREER BREAK 7.1 An individual is required to give at least three months notice prior to the expiration date of a career break, of intention to re-commence duty or to apply for an extension of career break. This notice must be forwarded in writing to the Human Resources department. Line Manager approval for the extension of a career break will be required and will be sought through the HR department. 7.2 Specified Purpose/Fixed Term staff who wish to apply for a career break extension must have a contract that will run for at least twelve months from the termination of the extended period of the career break. 8. RESUMPTION OF DUTY FOLLOWING A CAREER BREAK 8.1 At least three months prior to the end of your career break, you should notify HR in writing that it is your intention to resume duty following your career break. 8.2 If your notice of intention to resume duty following career break is not submitted to HR at least three months prior to the end of your career break, it will be assumed that you are not seeking to return to DIT. In this case the Institute will have no further obligation to re-employ you. 8.3 Technical Staff Permanent/CID Technical staff will retain an entitlement to resume duty in their substantive position on the termination of the approved period of the career break. Fixed term technical staff will return on a fixed term basis to work out the duration of their contract. The regulations in force at the date of resumption will apply to the staffing position of the Institute. 8.4 Clerical/Administrative, Information Systems, Library and Maintenance Staff Permanent/CID staff will return to their substantive grade on the termination of the approved period of the career break. The regulations in force at the date of resumption will apply to the staffing position of the Institute Specified Purpose/ Fixed Term staff who have contracts that will run for at least twelve months from the termination of the approved period of the career break may apply for a career break. Such staff will return on a specified purpose/fixed term basis at their substantive grade to work out the duration of their contract Acting Arrangements All Professional, Management & Support Staff Where a staff member is acting-up, the acting-up arrangement will cease on commencement of the career break. Such staff will normally revert to their substantive post on resumption of duty. The actingup arrangement will not be held open for the career break returnee. 8 EARLY RESUMPTION OF DUTY 8.1. Requests to resume duty early following a career break will be considered in the first instance by the line manager in conjunction with HR. Page 3 of 5

4 9 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL STAFF 9.1. All staff members should clearly understand that salary will only recommence upon resumption of duties A staff member on a career break who intends to resign from his/her post shall give the Institute notice in writing in accordance with the terms of his/her conditions of service All backfill posts will cease on the resumption of the staff member on career break to their post All backfill posts will also cease if the staff member on career break is transferred/promoted to another position or ceases employment with the Institute whichever date is earlier Temporary appointments do not confer any right on the appointees to appointment to future appointments with the Institute Where a staff member s application for career break is approved, their annual leave balance will be recalculated up to the commencement date of the career break. Where it is found that a staff member has overtaken their annual leave entitlement, the overpayment amount will be brought to the attention of the staff member and the full amount owing will be deducted from final salary before commencement of their career break. 10. DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AFFAIRS & SOCIAL PROTECTION It is advisable that employees going on career breaks maintain entitlements to social welfare benefits by payment of voluntary contributions to the Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection It should be noticed that special leave without pay for a career break will not count as service for the purposes of superannuation, annual leave or increments (other than those related to age). 11. PENSIONS RECKONING PERIOD OF CAREER BREAK FOR SUPERANNUATION PURPOSES Various options are open to reckon the period of a career break for pension purposes. This can be done by paying additional contributions, which are based on notional service purchase rates, either while on career break or on resumption of duty Any queries relating to your pension should be directed to the Pensions Section of the Human Resources Department at Dublin Institute of Technology, 5 th Floor, Park House Grangegorman, 191 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, D07 EWV4 or by to pensions@dit.ie Nothing in this scheme will prejudice existing arrangements for the granting of other categories of special leave. QUERIES Contact: Resourcing Leave & Benefits, Human Resources hr@dit.ie Page 4 of 5

5 CAREER BREAK APPLICATION FORM Before completing this form, please refer to the Career Break policy HRP103 To be completed by the Staff Member Name (in print): Staff No: Function/School: Contact No: Purpose of Career Break Family Reasons Other Domestic Reasons Education Purposes Voluntary Service Overseas Employment in the private sector or becoming self-employed Proposed Dates for Career Break (Minimum 1 year) from to I understand that an approval for this period is no guarantee that any extension sought will be granted. I confirm that there is no existing or potential conflict of interest between the activity or employment in which I intend to engage while on career break with my position in DIT. I understand that I am required to give at least 3 months notice prior to the expiration date of my career break, of my intention to re-commence duty or to apply for an extension. This notice must be submitted in writing to Resourcing, Human Resources. Failure to comply with this requirement without a reasonable and acceptable explanation, may be regarded by DIT any time thereafter as a formal offer of resignation with effect from the last day of my career break. The effect of such resignation will be given in writing to the staff member by HR. I have read, accept and agree to comply with all of the principles of the Career Breaks policy. Signature of Staff Member: Date: To be completed by relevant Head of Function /Head of School I certify that I have approved the above special leave without pay in accordance with the Career Breaks policy. Signature of Head of Function/School: Signature of Director: Date: Date: To be completed by HR I have verified the completed Application Form received from the Head of Function/School/Director Signature of Head of HR or nominee: Date: Please note that this leave may be terminated if it is not used for this purpose as indicated above. Any staff member found to abusing this leave may be subject to serious disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Page 5 of 5